Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Butler'

English Word: butler

Key Russian Translations:

• дворецкий [dvɐˈrʲet͡skʲɪj] - [Formal, Singular, Masculine]
• управляющий домом [ʊprɐˈvlʲajʊʂːɪj ˈdoməm] - [Formal, Less Common, Descriptive]

Frequency: Medium (used in specific contexts, often in literature or historical settings)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "дворецкий"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "управляющий домом"

Pronunciation (Russian):

дворецкий: [dvɐˈrʲet͡skʲɪj]

Note on дворецкий: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "ц" sound is a distinct affricate, similar to 'ts' in English.

управляющий домом: [ʊprɐˈvlʲajʊʂːɪj ˈdoməm]

Note on управляющий домом: Stress is on the second syllable of "управляющий" and the first syllable of "домом". The "щ" sound is a soft, prolonged 'sh'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A senior male servant in a household, typically in charge of other staff:

Translation(s) & Context:

• дворецкий - Commonly used for a head servant in a large household, often seen in historical or literary contexts (e.g., in translations of English novels).

Usage Examples:

• Дворецкий открыл дверь и поклонился гостям.

  The butler opened the door and bowed to the guests.

• Старый дворецкий служил в этом доме более сорока лет.

  The old butler had served in this house for over forty years.

• Дворецкий всегда был безупречно одет и вежлив.

  The butler was always impeccably dressed and polite.

2. A person managing household affairs or staff (broader sense):

Translation(s) & Context:

• управляющий домом - A more descriptive term, less common, used to emphasize the managerial role over servitude.

Usage Examples:

• Управляющий домом следил за всеми расходами и персоналом.

  The house manager oversaw all expenses and staff.

• Мы наняли управляющего домом, чтобы организовать ремонт.

  We hired a house manager to organize the renovations.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

дворецкий (Masculine Noun): Follows the regular masculine noun declension pattern in Russian.

управляющий домом (Compound Phrase): "управляющий" is a masculine noun or participle, declining similarly to "дворецкий", while "домом" is the instrumental case of "дом" (house).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for дворецкий:

• слуга (servant, broader term)
• лакей (footman, often derogatory or historical)

Note: "слуга" is more general and can apply to any servant, while "лакей" often carries a negative or outdated connotation.

Antonyms for дворецкий:

• хозяин (master, owner)

Related Phrases:

• старший дворецкий - senior butler (used to denote the head of household staff)
• дворецкий на службе - butler in service (emphasizes employment status)

Usage Notes:

• "дворецкий" is the most direct and commonly recognized translation for "butler", especially in contexts involving historical settings, British culture, or literature (e.g., translations of works like "Jeeves and Wooster").
• "управляющий домом" is less common and focuses on the managerial aspect rather than servitude; it may be used in modern contexts where the role is more administrative.
• Be mindful of the formality of the context. "дворецкий" is inherently formal and tied to traditional roles, while casual or modern settings might not use this term at all.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "слуга" (servant) instead of "дворецкий" when referring to a butler specifically. While "слуга" is a broader term for servant, it lacks the specific connotation of a head household servant.
  Incorrect: Слуга подал чай. (A servant served tea, but not necessarily a butler.)
  Correct: Дворецкий подал чай. (The butler served tea.)
• Error: Misusing gender or case forms of "дворецкий". For example, using the nominative case when the genitive is required.
  Incorrect: Я спросил дворецкий. (I asked the butler - wrong case.)
  Correct: Я спросил дворецкого. (I asked the butler - correct genitive case.)

Cultural Notes:

The concept of a "butler" as understood in English-speaking cultures (especially British) does not have a direct equivalent in traditional Russian culture. The term "дворецкий" often appears in translations of foreign literature or films and is associated with Western aristocratic households. In historical Russian contexts, household roles were organized differently, often under terms like "управляющий" (manager) or "ключник" (key-holder, an old term for a steward).

Related Concepts:

• слуга (servant)
• управляющий (manager)
• домработник (housekeeper, modern term)